IBD hospitalizations of the uninsured in the United States

The latest issue of the Inflammatory Bowel Diseases assesses hospitalizations for inflammatory bowel disease of the uninsured in the United States.

fiogf49gjkf04

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients may be at increased risk for having no health insurance.

Dr Geoffrey Nguyen and colleagues from Canada assessed the prevalence of hospitalized IBD patients without insurance in the US and to characterize predictive factors.

The research team identified IBD admissions in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, and a 1% sample of general medical patients.

IBD inpatients increased from 5% to 7%

Inflammatory bowel disease

The team used population estimates from the US Census Bureau to calculate hospitalization rates, and logistic regression to determine predictors of being uninsured.

Although uninsured IBD patients were less likely to be hospitalized than those privately insured, their hospitalization rate increased from 8 per 100,000 to 13 per 100,000 over 7 years, outpacing private admissions.

The proportion of uninsured IBD inpatients increased from 5% to 7%, and IBD patients were more likely than general medical patients to be uninsured.

The research team found that predictors of being uninsured were being 21 to 40 years, African American or Hispanic, or residing in the southern US.

Being female, residing in higher income neighborhoods, and higher comorbidity were protective factors.

Dr Nguyen's team concludes, "The rate of uninsured IBD admissions has risen disproportionately relative to the privately insured and general medical populations."

"We need measures to alleviate the burden of being uninsured among young and otherwise healthy adults with IBD who are most vulnerable."